Large tapestries were a way of telling a story through the medium of embroidery, the Bayeux Tapestry being one remarkable example of how working together on a sewing project has brought large groups of people together. The community working together in this way was a regular occurance in times gone by, and is sometimes still seen today in certain circles, particularly as a fund raising event.

The industrial revolution was one of the major reasons that traditional peasant embroidery became neglected until the 19th century when textile dealers with a lack of morals bought up the majority of traditional pieces from families for a small price as the lower classes didn't realise the importance of the traditional pieces until it was too late.

Types of Embroidery

There are many different types of embroidery, each with their own characteristics and methods. There is some cross over between styles, but each style has distinctive methods, stitches and colours from which it can be recognised.